Morongo Valley, California
Encyclopedia
Morongo Valley is a census-designated place
(CDP) in San Bernardino County
, California
, United States
. The population was 3,552 at the 2010 census, up from 1,929 at the 2000 census.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the CDP has a total area of 25.2 square miles (65.3 km²), all land.
Morongo Valley lies along the western edge of the Mojave Desert and near the northern edge of the Coachella Valley
, and as such is generally dry. Monsoonal moisture leads to thunderstorms at times during the summer, but in the winter, Pacific
storms bring most of the rain.
was 140.8 people per square mile (54.4/km²). The racial makeup of Morongo Valley was 3,076 (86.6%) White, 40 (1.1%) African American, 73 (2.1%) Native American, 31 (0.9%) Asian, 4 (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 187 (5.3%) from other races
, and 141 (4.0%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 531 persons (14.9%).
The Census reported that 3,547 people (99.9% of the population) lived in households, 5 (0.1%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.
There were 1,602 households, out of which 359 (22.4%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 598 (37.3%) were opposite-sex married couples
living together, 178 (11.1%) had a female householder with no husband present, 99 (6.2%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 132 (8.2%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
, and 26 (1.6%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 554 households (34.6%) were made up of individuals and 203 (12.7%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.21. There were 875 families
(54.6% of all households); the average family size was 2.87.
The population was spread out with 646 people (18.2%) under the age of 18, 266 people (7.5%) aged 18 to 24, 745 people (21.0%) aged 25 to 44, 1,346 people (37.9%) aged 45 to 64, and 549 people (15.5%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47.2 years. For every 100 females there were 105.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 106.0 males.
There were 2,004 housing units at an average density of 79.5 per square mile (30.7/km²), of which 1,159 (72.3%) were owner-occupied, and 443 (27.7%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 4.7%; the rental vacancy rate was 7.9%. 2,489 people (70.1% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 1,058 people (29.8%) lived in rental housing units.
of 2000, there were 1,929 people, 811 households, and 473 families residing in the CDP. The population density
was 249.5 inhabitants per square mile (96.4/km²). There were 960 housing units at an average density of 124.2 per square mile (48.0/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 91.9% White, 0.8% African American, 1.4% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 3.4% from other races
, and 2.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 9.3% of the population.
There were 811 households out of which 26.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.9% were married couples
living together, 10.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.6% were non-families. 33.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 3.04.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 25.2% under the age of 18, 6.3% from 18 to 24, 25.6% from 25 to 44, 27.8% from 45 to 64, and 15.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 100.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.3 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $36,357, and the median income for a family was $36,643. Males had a median income of $37,091 versus $26,528 for females. The per capita income
for the CDP was $19,624. About 12.2% of families and 19.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.7% of those under age 18 and 19.0% of those age 65 or over.
approximately 10 miles/16 km north of Interstate 10
and is the first San Bernardino County town travelers encounter when driving north from the Coachella Valley. A popular destination in Morongo Valley is the Big Morongo Canyon Preserve, where one can take hikes, go bird-watching or stroll along the walkways. The governing body of Morongo Valley is the Community Services District (CSD), which has five board members. The only school in Morongo Valley is Morongo Valley Elementary School (MVES), which is part of the Morongo Unified School District
. MVES has an enrollment of a few hundred students.
Morongo Valley is located in the 18th Senate
District, represented by Republican
Roy Ashburn
, and in the 65th Assembly
District, represented by Republican Paul Cook
. Federally, Morongo Valley is located in California's 41st congressional district
, which has a Cook PVI
of R +9 and is represented by Republican Jerry Lewis
.
. Well over a hundred structures were burned in the two fires. Virtually no damage occurred in Morongo Valley itself.
Census-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
(CDP) in San Bernardino County
San Bernardino County, California
San Bernardino County is a county in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2010 census, the population was 2,035,210, up from 1,709,434 as of the 2000 census...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 3,552 at the 2010 census, up from 1,929 at the 2000 census.
Geography and climate
Morongo Valley is located at 34°3′19"N 116°34′56"W (34.055322, -116.582276).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the CDP has a total area of 25.2 square miles (65.3 km²), all land.
Morongo Valley lies along the western edge of the Mojave Desert and near the northern edge of the Coachella Valley
Coachella Valley
Coachella Valley is a large valley landform in Southern California. The valley extends for approximately 45 miles in Riverside County southeast from the San Bernardino Mountains to the saltwater Salton Sea, the largest lake in California...
, and as such is generally dry. Monsoonal moisture leads to thunderstorms at times during the summer, but in the winter, Pacific
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
storms bring most of the rain.
2010
The 2010 United States Census reported that Morongo Valley had a population of 3,552. The population densityPopulation density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 140.8 people per square mile (54.4/km²). The racial makeup of Morongo Valley was 3,076 (86.6%) White, 40 (1.1%) African American, 73 (2.1%) Native American, 31 (0.9%) Asian, 4 (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 187 (5.3%) from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 141 (4.0%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 531 persons (14.9%).
The Census reported that 3,547 people (99.9% of the population) lived in households, 5 (0.1%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.
There were 1,602 households, out of which 359 (22.4%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 598 (37.3%) were opposite-sex married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 178 (11.1%) had a female householder with no husband present, 99 (6.2%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 132 (8.2%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
POSSLQ
POSSLQ is an abbreviation for "Persons of Opposite Sex Sharing Living Quarters," a term coined in the late 1970s by the United States Census Bureau as part of an effort to more accurately gauge the prevalence of cohabitation in American households....
, and 26 (1.6%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 554 households (34.6%) were made up of individuals and 203 (12.7%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.21. There were 875 families
Family (U.S. Census)
A family or family household is defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes as "a householder and one or more other people related to the householder by birth, marriage, or adoption. They do not include same-sex married couples even if the marriage was performed in a state...
(54.6% of all households); the average family size was 2.87.
The population was spread out with 646 people (18.2%) under the age of 18, 266 people (7.5%) aged 18 to 24, 745 people (21.0%) aged 25 to 44, 1,346 people (37.9%) aged 45 to 64, and 549 people (15.5%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47.2 years. For every 100 females there were 105.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 106.0 males.
There were 2,004 housing units at an average density of 79.5 per square mile (30.7/km²), of which 1,159 (72.3%) were owner-occupied, and 443 (27.7%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 4.7%; the rental vacancy rate was 7.9%. 2,489 people (70.1% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 1,058 people (29.8%) lived in rental housing units.
2000
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 1,929 people, 811 households, and 473 families residing in the CDP. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 249.5 inhabitants per square mile (96.4/km²). There were 960 housing units at an average density of 124.2 per square mile (48.0/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 91.9% White, 0.8% African American, 1.4% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 3.4% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 2.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 9.3% of the population.
There were 811 households out of which 26.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.9% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 10.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.6% were non-families. 33.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 3.04.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 25.2% under the age of 18, 6.3% from 18 to 24, 25.6% from 25 to 44, 27.8% from 45 to 64, and 15.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 100.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.3 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $36,357, and the median income for a family was $36,643. Males had a median income of $37,091 versus $26,528 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the CDP was $19,624. About 12.2% of families and 19.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.7% of those under age 18 and 19.0% of those age 65 or over.
Local
Morongo Valley is unincorporated and is under the jurisdiction of San Bernardino County; it lies immediately north of the Riverside County line. The main commercial development of Morongo Valley lies along Highway 62California State Route 62
State Route 62 is a state highway in the U.S. state of California.-Route description:This route is part of the California Freeway and Expressway System and is eligible for the State Scenic Highway System...
approximately 10 miles/16 km north of Interstate 10
Interstate 10
Interstate 10 is the fourth-longest Interstate Highway in the United States, after I-90, I-80, and I-40. It is the southernmost east–west, coast-to-coast Interstate Highway, although I-4 and I-8 are further south. It stretches from the Pacific Ocean at State Route 1 in Santa Monica,...
and is the first San Bernardino County town travelers encounter when driving north from the Coachella Valley. A popular destination in Morongo Valley is the Big Morongo Canyon Preserve, where one can take hikes, go bird-watching or stroll along the walkways. The governing body of Morongo Valley is the Community Services District (CSD), which has five board members. The only school in Morongo Valley is Morongo Valley Elementary School (MVES), which is part of the Morongo Unified School District
Morongo Unified School District
The Morongo Unified School District is a public education governing body in the Mojave high desert of Southern California. MUSD has more than 1,100 employees who provide educational services to 9,301 students.-Summary:...
. MVES has an enrollment of a few hundred students.
State and Federal
In the state legislatureCalifornia State Legislature
The California State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of California. It is a bicameral body consisting of the lower house, the California State Assembly, with 80 members, and the upper house, the California State Senate, with 40 members...
Morongo Valley is located in the 18th Senate
California State Senate
The California State Senate is the upper house of the California State Legislature. There are 40 state senators. The state legislature meets in the California State Capitol in Sacramento. The Lieutenant Governor is the ex officio President of the Senate and may break a tied vote...
District, represented by Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
Roy Ashburn
Roy Ashburn
Roy Arthur Ashburn is an American politician from Kern County, California. A Republican, he served as a California State Senator from 2002 to 2010 representing the 18th district. He previously served three terms in the California State Assembly, representing the 32nd district and 12 years on the...
, and in the 65th Assembly
California State Assembly
The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature. There are 80 members in the Assembly, representing an approximately equal number of constituents, with each district having a population of at least 420,000...
District, represented by Republican Paul Cook
Paul Cook (politician)
Paul Cook has represented California's 65th Assembly district since December 2006. Prior to his election he served as a member of the Yucca Valley city council from 1998 until 2006. He is a Republican.-Military career:...
. Federally, Morongo Valley is located in California's 41st congressional district
California's 41st congressional district
California's 41st congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California based in San Bernardino County. The district encompasses the eastern region of the Greater Los Angeles Area known as the Inland Empire...
, which has a Cook PVI
Cook Partisan Voting Index
The Cook Partisan Voting Index , sometimes referred to as simply the Partisan Voting Index , is a measurement of how strongly an American congressional district or state leans toward one political party compared to the nation as a whole...
of R +9 and is represented by Republican Jerry Lewis
Jerry Lewis (politician)
Charles Jeremy Lewis is the U.S. Representative for , and previously the 40th, 35th and 37th, serving since 2003. He is a member of the Republican Party. He is a former chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, serving in the role during the 109th Congress.-Early life, education, and...
.
Paradise Fire
In June 2005, a fire started on Paradise Avenue in western Morongo Valley. This fire quickly spread, torching about six thousand acres (24 km²). Luckily, only seven homes were burned. The fire also damaged some of the walkways in the Big Morongo Canyon Preserve, but all damage has been repaired and the entire preserve is once again open for birding and hiking.Sawtooth Complex Fire
In July 2006, a fire started by dry lightning in Yucca Valley was almost 100 percent contained, however due to extremely low humidity, high temperatures, and 40 mile per hour gusts, the fire grew. The fire quickly spread from Yucca Valley through Pioneertown and Big Morongo. In fact, another small fire dubbed the Millard Complex fire merged with the Sawtooth Complex fireSawtooth Complex fire
The Sawtooth Complex fire was a group of wildfires in San Bernardino County in the U.S. state of California in the summer of 2006. The Complex was made up of the Sawtooth, Waters, and Ridge fires, and burnt in chaparral two miles east of Yucca Valley.The Sawtooth Complex fire was started by...
. Well over a hundred structures were burned in the two fires. Virtually no damage occurred in Morongo Valley itself.